Findlay Market Opening Day Parade grand marshals

The Cincinnati Reds Opening Day wouldn’t be the same without the Findlay Market Parade and a grand marshal to lead it. Check out who has previously received the honor. Former Red first baseman Sean Casey will lead this year's Findlay Market Parade, which begins at noon on April 3.

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April 3, 2017: Sean Casey, the former Reds first baseman, will lead the 98th Findlay Market Parade. Findlay Market president Neil Lukin named Casey grand marshal for Opening Day festivities during a press conference on Friday, March 17. Casey played for the Reds from 1998 until he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2005. Casey earned the nickname "the Mayor of Riverfront" because of his friendly demeanor while playing for the Reds. Case was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2012 and a three-time All-Star during his baseball career.

Photo By: Brian Mains | WCPO

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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April 4, 2016:Lou Piniella, the Cincinnati Reds manager who led the team to a 1990 World Series sweep, led the 97th Findlay Market Parade. The Reds also hired Piniella as a senior advisor to the president of baseball operations in 2016.

Photo By: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

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April 6, 2015: The fearsome Reds bullpen trio of Rob Dibble, Randy Myers and Norm Charlton, otherwise known as The Nasty Boys, led the 96th Findlay Market Parade. The pitchers used their arms, and attitude, to help the Reds sweep the 1990 World Series under Piniella.

Copyright Getty Images

Click to View Full Image

March 31, 2014: Dave Concepción, the Big Red Machine shortstop and 2000 Reds Hall of Fame inductee, led the 95th Findlay Market Parade. Concepción played his first game with the Reds on Opening Day April 6, 1970 (also the final Opening Day at Crosley Field). The two-time Silver Slugger winner, nine-time All-Star and winner of five Gold Gloves played his last game at Riverfront Stadium in September 1988.

Photo By: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

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April 1, 2013: George Foster, an outfielder and offensive powerhouse for the Big Red Machine, led the 94th Findlay Market Parade. Foster finished his career as a five-time All Star and was the 1976 MLB All Star Game MVP. He was inducted in the Reds Hall of Fame in 2003.

Photo By: WCPO file photo

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Click to View Full Image

April 5, 2012: Aaron Boone, an infielder first drafted by the Reds in 1994, led the 93rd Findlay Market Parade. Boone was an All-Star for the Reds in 2003 and played in 106 games for the team before being traded to the New York Yankees. Boone is currently an ESPN game analyst and color commentator for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.

Photo By: Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

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March 31, 2011: Joe Morgan (third from left), the Big Red Machine second baseman and 1990 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, led the 92nd Findlay Market Parade. In 2013, the Reds erected a bronze statue of Morgan in front of Great American Ball Park in his honor.

Photo By: Elsa/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

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April 5, 2010: Johnny Bench, the former Big Red Machine catcher and baseball hall of famer, led the 91st Findlay Market Parade. Bench received his own statue in front of the Great American Ball Park in 2011.

Photo By: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

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April 6, 2009: Frank Robinson, a Baseball Hall of Fame inductee who played for the Reds from 1956-65, led the 90th Findlay Market Parade. The former outfielder was inducted into the Cooperstown Hall of Fame in 1982.

Photo By: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

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March 31, 2008: Cesar Geronimo, the former Big Red Machine outfielder, led the 89th Findlay Market Parade. He played for the Reds from 1972 to 1980 and had his most productive season in 1976 with a career-best batting average (.307), hits (149), bases on balls (56), triples (11), stolen bases (22), and on-base percentage (.382). Geronimo ended his professional baseball career with the Kansas City Royals in 1983.

Photo By: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

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April 2, 2007: Eric Davis, the former Reds outfielder who helped the team sweep the 1990 World Series, led the 88th Findlay Market Parade. The two-time National League All-Star was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2005. Davis is currently a special assistant with the Reds organization.

Photo By: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

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April 3, 2006: Mario Soto, the 2001 Reds Hall of Fame inductee and former pitcher, led the 87th Findlay Market Parade. Soto played for the Reds from 1977 to 1988. During the 1982 season, Soto struck out 274 hitters, the most single-season strikeouts by a Reds pitcher. He currently works for the organization as a special assistant for player performance.

Photo By: WCPO file photo

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Click to View Full Image

April 4, 2005: Rudi Johnson, the former Cincinnati Bengals running back, led the 86th Findlay Market Parade. Johnson played in the 2004 Pro-Bowl after leading the AFC in rushing for the Bengals. He left the team in 2007 and finished his career with the Detroit Lions the following year.

Photo By: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

Click to View Full Image

April 5, 2004: Dave Parker, the former Reds outfielder and 1978 National League MVP, led the 85th Findlay Market Parade. The right fielder grew up near Crosley Field in Cincinnati and played for the Reds from 1984-1987.

Photo By: Mike Powell/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

Click to View Full Image

March 31, 2003: Tom Browning, the 2006 Reds hall of famer and former pitcher, led the 84th Findlay Market Parade. This was the first year the Opening Day parade ended at Great American Ball Park. Browning played for the Reds from 1984 to 1994. He won the World Series in 1990 with the team and pitched a perfect game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988.

Photo By: STEPHEN DUNN/ALLSPORT

Copyright Getty Images

Click to View Full Image

April 1, 2002: Ken Griffey Sr., the Big Red Machine outfielder and father of Ken Griffey Jr., led the 83rd Findlay Market Parade. Griffey Sr. played for the Reds from 1973 to 1981. He played in three All-Star games and won two World Series with the Reds. His son was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Photo By: Otto Greule /Allsport

Copyright Getty Images

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April 2, 2001: Anthony Munoz, former Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle and Pro Football Hall of Famer, led the 82nd Findlay Market Parade. Munoz played 13 seasons with the Bengals. In 1998 he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the first Bengal to receive the honor.

Photo By: WCPO file photo

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Click to View Full Image

April 3, 2000: A six-year-old Covington resident and 12-year-old Cincinnatian led the 81st Findlay Market Parade. The pair were selected to lead the parade through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a non-profit organization that arranges experiences described as "wishes" to children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Click to View Full Image

April 5, 1999: Joe Nuxhall, former Reds pitcher and broadcaster, led the 80th Findlay Market Parade. Nuxhall was the youngest player to ever appear in a Major League Game at the age of 15. He holds the Reds record for career games pitched for a left hander. After retiring from baseball, Nuxhall broadcast Reds games full time from 1967 through 2004. He died on Nov. 15, 2007 at the age of 79.

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Click to View Full Image

March 31, 1998: Linda Vester, former anchor for “NBC News at Sunrise” and FOX news host, led the 79th Findlay Market Parade. Vester grew up in Cincinnati. She left FOX news in 2005 to raise her children.

Photo By: Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

Click to View Full Image

April 1, 1997: George Voinovich, former Republican governor of Ohio and United States senator, led the 78th Findlay Market Parade and 72nd parade in 1991. Voinovich was governor from 1991 to 1998. He served in the senate from 1999 until 2011 and was succeeded by Rob Portman. Voinovich died on June 12, 2016, at the age of 79.

Photo By: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

Click to View Full Image

April 2, 1996: Sparky Anderson, former manager of the Big Red Machine and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, led the 77th Findlay Market Parade. Anderson managed the Reds from 1970 to 1978. The Reds won the World Series in 1975 and 1976 under Anderson. He also led the Detroit Tigers to a World Series win in 1984, making him the first MLB manager to win the championship in both the National and American leagues. Anderson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000 and died on Nov. 4, 2010 at the age of 76.

Photo By: Tomasso DeRosa/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

Click to View Full Image

April 4, 1995: Joe Bare, past president of the Findlay Market Association, led the 76th Findlay Market Parade. The parade, with its zoo animals and marching bands, went on even though the Cincinnati Reds would not play their first game for almost a month, due to the MLB players' strike. Marge Schott begins the parade with sounding of a fire engine horn. Only about 125 entries made the parade, with one of the favorite being a wagon pulled by a young girl from Bridgetown with a banner stating, "Replacement Float".

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Click to View Full Image

April 4, 1994: As the Cincinnati Post headline read “Easter baseball lays egg for fans.” Due to a scheduling agreement with fledgling ESPN, the Reds actually played their season opener before the 75th Findlay Market Parade. The team played against the St. Louis Cardinals during a night game on April 3, Easter Sunday, at Riverfront Stadium that year. The city wouldn’t allow the parade to take place beforehand, so it was scheduled for the next day instead. You can read all about the curfluffle here.

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Click to View Full Image

April 5, 1993: Jerry Springer, TV personality and former Cincinnati mayor and councilman, led the 74th Findlay Market Parade. Springer survived a scandal early on in his political career when he was caught soliciting a prostitute. He served as mayor from 1977-1978 and went on to host the nationally syndicated "Jerry Springer Show." Springer also currently records a weekly podcast at the Folk School Coffee Parlor in Ludlow, Kentucky.

Photo By: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

Click to View Full Image

April 6, 1992: Chuck Harmon, the first black player to wear a Reds uniform, led the 73rd Findlay Market Parade. Harmon played third base and outfield for Reds during three seasons in the late 1950s.

Photo By: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

Findlay Market Opening Day Parade grand marshals

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April 3, 2017: Sean Casey, the former Reds first baseman, will lead the 98th Findlay Market Parade. Findlay Market president Neil Lukin named Casey grand marshal for Opening Day festivities during a press conference on Friday, March 17. Casey played for the Reds from 1998 until he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2005. Casey earned the nickname "the Mayor of Riverfront" because of his friendly demeanor while playing for the Reds. Case was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2012 and a three-time All-Star during his baseball career.

Photo By: Brian Mains | WCPO

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

April 4, 2016:Lou Piniella, the Cincinnati Reds manager who led the team to a 1990 World Series sweep, led the 97th Findlay Market Parade. The Reds also hired Piniella as a senior advisor to the president of baseball operations in 2016.

Photo By: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

April 6, 2015: The fearsome Reds bullpen trio of Rob Dibble, Randy Myers and Norm Charlton, otherwise known as The Nasty Boys, led the 96th Findlay Market Parade. The pitchers used their arms, and attitude, to help the Reds sweep the 1990 World Series under Piniella.

Copyright Getty Images

March 31, 2014: Dave Concepción, the Big Red Machine shortstop and 2000 Reds Hall of Fame inductee, led the 95th Findlay Market Parade. Concepción played his first game with the Reds on Opening Day April 6, 1970 (also the final Opening Day at Crosley Field). The two-time Silver Slugger winner, nine-time All-Star and winner of five Gold Gloves played his last game at Riverfront Stadium in September 1988.

Photo By: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

April 1, 2013: George Foster, an outfielder and offensive powerhouse for the Big Red Machine, led the 94th Findlay Market Parade. Foster finished his career as a five-time All Star and was the 1976 MLB All Star Game MVP. He was inducted in the Reds Hall of Fame in 2003.

Photo By: WCPO file photo

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

April 5, 2012: Aaron Boone, an infielder first drafted by the Reds in 1994, led the 93rd Findlay Market Parade. Boone was an All-Star for the Reds in 2003 and played in 106 games for the team before being traded to the New York Yankees. Boone is currently an ESPN game analyst and color commentator for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.

Photo By: Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

March 31, 2011: Joe Morgan (third from left), the Big Red Machine second baseman and 1990 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, led the 92nd Findlay Market Parade. In 2013, the Reds erected a bronze statue of Morgan in front of Great American Ball Park in his honor.

Photo By: Elsa/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

April 5, 2010: Johnny Bench, the former Big Red Machine catcher and baseball hall of famer, led the 91st Findlay Market Parade. Bench received his own statue in front of the Great American Ball Park in 2011.

Photo By: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

April 6, 2009: Frank Robinson, a Baseball Hall of Fame inductee who played for the Reds from 1956-65, led the 90th Findlay Market Parade. The former outfielder was inducted into the Cooperstown Hall of Fame in 1982.

Photo By: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

March 31, 2008: Cesar Geronimo, the former Big Red Machine outfielder, led the 89th Findlay Market Parade. He played for the Reds from 1972 to 1980 and had his most productive season in 1976 with a career-best batting average (.307), hits (149), bases on balls (56), triples (11), stolen bases (22), and on-base percentage (.382). Geronimo ended his professional baseball career with the Kansas City Royals in 1983.

Photo By: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

April 2, 2007: Eric Davis, the former Reds outfielder who helped the team sweep the 1990 World Series, led the 88th Findlay Market Parade. The two-time National League All-Star was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2005. Davis is currently a special assistant with the Reds organization.

Photo By: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

April 3, 2006: Mario Soto, the 2001 Reds Hall of Fame inductee and former pitcher, led the 87th Findlay Market Parade. Soto played for the Reds from 1977 to 1988. During the 1982 season, Soto struck out 274 hitters, the most single-season strikeouts by a Reds pitcher. He currently works for the organization as a special assistant for player performance.

Photo By: WCPO file photo

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

April 4, 2005: Rudi Johnson, the former Cincinnati Bengals running back, led the 86th Findlay Market Parade. Johnson played in the 2004 Pro-Bowl after leading the AFC in rushing for the Bengals. He left the team in 2007 and finished his career with the Detroit Lions the following year.

Photo By: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

April 5, 2004: Dave Parker, the former Reds outfielder and 1978 National League MVP, led the 85th Findlay Market Parade. The right fielder grew up near Crosley Field in Cincinnati and played for the Reds from 1984-1987.

Photo By: Mike Powell/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

March 31, 2003: Tom Browning, the 2006 Reds hall of famer and former pitcher, led the 84th Findlay Market Parade. This was the first year the Opening Day parade ended at Great American Ball Park. Browning played for the Reds from 1984 to 1994. He won the World Series in 1990 with the team and pitched a perfect game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988.

Photo By: STEPHEN DUNN/ALLSPORT

Copyright Getty Images

April 1, 2002: Ken Griffey Sr., the Big Red Machine outfielder and father of Ken Griffey Jr., led the 83rd Findlay Market Parade. Griffey Sr. played for the Reds from 1973 to 1981. He played in three All-Star games and won two World Series with the Reds. His son was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Photo By: Otto Greule /Allsport

Copyright Getty Images

April 2, 2001: Anthony Munoz, former Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle and Pro Football Hall of Famer, led the 82nd Findlay Market Parade. Munoz played 13 seasons with the Bengals. In 1998 he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the first Bengal to receive the honor.

Photo By: WCPO file photo

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

April 3, 2000: A six-year-old Covington resident and 12-year-old Cincinnatian led the 81st Findlay Market Parade. The pair were selected to lead the parade through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a non-profit organization that arranges experiences described as "wishes" to children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

April 5, 1999: Joe Nuxhall, former Reds pitcher and broadcaster, led the 80th Findlay Market Parade. Nuxhall was the youngest player to ever appear in a Major League Game at the age of 15. He holds the Reds record for career games pitched for a left hander. After retiring from baseball, Nuxhall broadcast Reds games full time from 1967 through 2004. He died on Nov. 15, 2007 at the age of 79.

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

March 31, 1998: Linda Vester, former anchor for “NBC News at Sunrise” and FOX news host, led the 79th Findlay Market Parade. Vester grew up in Cincinnati. She left FOX news in 2005 to raise her children.

Photo By: Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

April 1, 1997: George Voinovich, former Republican governor of Ohio and United States senator, led the 78th Findlay Market Parade and 72nd parade in 1991. Voinovich was governor from 1991 to 1998. He served in the senate from 1999 until 2011 and was succeeded by Rob Portman. Voinovich died on June 12, 2016, at the age of 79.

Photo By: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

April 2, 1996: Sparky Anderson, former manager of the Big Red Machine and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, led the 77th Findlay Market Parade. Anderson managed the Reds from 1970 to 1978. The Reds won the World Series in 1975 and 1976 under Anderson. He also led the Detroit Tigers to a World Series win in 1984, making him the first MLB manager to win the championship in both the National and American leagues. Anderson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000 and died on Nov. 4, 2010 at the age of 76.

Photo By: Tomasso DeRosa/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

April 4, 1995: Joe Bare, past president of the Findlay Market Association, led the 76th Findlay Market Parade. The parade, with its zoo animals and marching bands, went on even though the Cincinnati Reds would not play their first game for almost a month, due to the MLB players' strike. Marge Schott begins the parade with sounding of a fire engine horn. Only about 125 entries made the parade, with one of the favorite being a wagon pulled by a young girl from Bridgetown with a banner stating, "Replacement Float".

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

April 4, 1994: As the Cincinnati Post headline read “Easter baseball lays egg for fans.” Due to a scheduling agreement with fledgling ESPN, the Reds actually played their season opener before the 75th Findlay Market Parade. The team played against the St. Louis Cardinals during a night game on April 3, Easter Sunday, at Riverfront Stadium that year. The city wouldn’t allow the parade to take place beforehand, so it was scheduled for the next day instead. You can read all about the curfluffle here.

Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

April 5, 1993: Jerry Springer, TV personality and former Cincinnati mayor and councilman, led the 74th Findlay Market Parade. Springer survived a scandal early on in his political career when he was caught soliciting a prostitute. He served as mayor from 1977-1978 and went on to host the nationally syndicated "Jerry Springer Show." Springer also currently records a weekly podcast at the Folk School Coffee Parlor in Ludlow, Kentucky.

Photo By: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Copyright Getty Images

April 6, 1992: Chuck Harmon, the first black player to wear a Reds uniform, led the 73rd Findlay Market Parade. Harmon played third base and outfield for Reds during three seasons in the late 1950s.